us, as we have opportunity, to visit the widow and the fatherless, and him that hath no helper, and to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. And when we shall again gather around the altar of our evening sacrifice, O, may we all come with the delightful assurance that the world has left no stain upon our garments, and that for another day of our probation our names are registered in the Lamb's book of life.

In these thanksgivings and supplications we include all our dear absent friends, beseeching thee to bless them according to their several circumstances. Be in all the abodes of suffering this day, to soothe the bed of pain, to cheer the loneliness of age, to lighten the burden of sorrow. Hear and answer us,

in the name of thy Son our Saviour, through whom unto thee be the kingdom, the power and the glory. Amen.

VII.

Believing and Loving.

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed, and in truth.

And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

And whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

ALMIGHTY and most merciful God, our heavenly Father, we bow ourselves before thee in all lowliness and reverence of spirit. Thou art God, the Lord of heaven and earth; there is none like unto thee. The angels bow, and archangels veil their faces, before the light of thy glory. The patriarchs and prophets, the apostles and martyrs, the saints of all ages, and our own beloved who have departed in Christ, stand around thy throne, day without night, singing their song, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. O Lord, we would bring our morning offering of praise and prayer unto thee, humbly imploring a portion of that adoring spirit which shall make us one with them; and though we be yet on earth, shall make us meet to be partakers with them in their blessed service.

Father in heaven, we acknowledge our dependence upon thee. Help us to feel that dependence. There is not a breath we draw, but it is thy gift; not a mo

tion we make, but strength cometh from thee. Thine arm is always beneath and around us; it supports and enfolds us everywhere. Thy bounty supplies our daily returning wants. Thy care is our confidence, thy mercy our refuge, thy love is the light of our countenance and the peace of our hearts. Not an hour, not a moment, that thine hand is lifted from off our heads.

O, what shall we render unto the Lord for all his goodness? We can give thee nothing, for all things belong to thee; and thou seekest no outward sacrifice, else would we give it. But thou dost ask for our hearts. O, may we answer thy call, so tender and paternal, My son, give me thine heart, Lord, our hearts do we give unto thee. Come and dwell in them. Come and reign in them; seal them as thine own, and from this time forth may we keep them, by the help of the Holy Spirit, consecrated to thy honor and glory. May we feel they are not our own, but thine,—thine by a double claim, because they are thy workmanship, and because we by this dedication have given them to thee. we may not this day by any forgetfulness, any pressure of earthly care, any force of temptation, by any wrong thought, or feeling, or desire, by any unrighteous word or deed, defile that which is now holy unto the Lord.

solemn act of

Help us, that

God of all the families on the earth, we commend to thee this family now waiting before thee. Look

Fill us first with love

down upon us and bless us. towards thee and thy dear Son, and then towards one another,― loving not in word and tongue, but in deed and in truth. May we be led by the Spirit of God, that we may be the children of God; and may the fruits of the Spirit-love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance abound in all our hearts; so may God, who is greater than our hearts, give us confidence and peace. May we be that happy family whose God is the Lord, and upon which thou commandest thy blessing, even life forevermore. Wilt thou take us into thy keeping this day; and if sorrow and suffering, sickness and bereavement, shall fall upon us before its close, may we with calm and steady faith look up and say, Father, thy will be done; even so, for so it seemeth good in thy sight.

And now unto thee, the King eternal, immortal and invisible, the only true and wise God, would we render praise through Jesus Christ, for ever and ever. Amen.

VIII.

Rejoicing Praise.

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in

the sanctuary.

Because thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.

My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips :

When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.

Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.

DIVINE FATHER, who hast again awakened us out of comfortable sleep, the gift of thy mercy, and art granting us the blessing of beholding each others' faces with joy and hope, we unitedly thank thee for thy watchful care of us during the perils of the night, and for all that makes the light of another day welcome to our hearts. With the light of the morning we beg thee to lift upon us the dearer light of thy love, and to refresh our souls by thy grace as thou hast nourished the plants in the earth by the tender dew. O, God, the sweet air we breathe, the cheerful emotions which the day renews, all beautiful objects, and this glorious sun, whose effulgence displays thy greatness and thy goodness, prompt us to gratitude, and call us to give praise unto thee.

We thank thee for restoring us to one another in

C